A former senior manager at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Rosemary Njeri Mureithi, recently testified in court, claiming that her dismissal in August 2023 was a result of refusing to grant preferential treatment to the children of KRA Chairman Anthony Mwaura.
According to Mureithi, the alleged request involved giving Mwaura’s children special access to buy cars and tyres during an auction at the Port of Mombasa, a practice she said was both illegal and against standard auction procedures.
Mureithi’s refusal to comply, she argues, led directly to her termination, which she described as unjust and retaliatory.
The auction in question involved gazetted consignments, meaning that the process should have been open and governed by strict legal protocols.
Mureithi’s testimony emphasized that she turned down the request because it was unreasonable and against these established procedures.
She noted that giving preferential treatment would have compromised the integrity of the auction process, which is supposed to be fair and transparent.
The request to buy items through a private treaty effectively bypassing the legal auction system was seen by Mureithi as a clear violation of ethical standards.
This legal battle has gained attention as it highlights issues of favoritism and ethics within government institutions, especially regarding how high-ranking officials who exploit their positions for personal gain.
In this case, Mureithi’s decision to uphold her duty without bowing to pressure from powerful individuals has led her to pursue legal action, seeking redress for what she views as wrongful termination.
This case comes at a time when Anthony Mwaura himself is facing separate corruption charges.
In a different case, Mwaura, his wife Rose Njeri, and several other individuals are accused of embezzling Ksh.357 million from the Nairobi County Government.
The charges include conspiracy to commit a crime of corruption, money laundering, and unlawfully acquiring public property.
Mwaura has pleaded not guilty to these charges, which stem from alleged unlawful payments made to companies linked to him between 2018 and 2019.
Mwaura’s legal troubles have raised questions about leadership at KRA, especially as the authority is responsible for enforcing financial regulations and ethical standards.
The former manager’s testimony not only implicates Mwaura in unethical behavior but also paints a broader picture of systemic issues that may exist within the organization.
Public interest in the case remains high, as many look to the courts for a verdict that will determine whether favoritism and corruption played a role in the operations of the country’s revenue collection body.
The court is currently reviewing Mureithi’s claims, and the outcome could have wider implications for governance and ethical standards within Kenyan public institutions.
Whether or not her allegations prove true, the case underscores the challenges faced by civil servants who seek to uphold integrity while working under politically connected superiors.
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